Rabu, 12 Juli 2017

Enjoy American Vintage Glassware Collectibles

By Amanda Patterson


It's rewarding to learn about early housewares, even if you don't collect yourself. Useful or decorative items made of glass are especially fun, because you can see examples of them in antique centers, flea markets, and even yard sales. You may not want vintage glassware collectibles on your dining room table, but then again maybe you fall in love. This is an inexpensive and enjoyable way to make browsing through junk shops and antique malls more interesting.

The words 'vintage' and 'collectible' can be confusing. Basically anything for which there is a demand can interest collectors, and anything made in your grandparents' era can be called vintage. Many feel that the year of manufacture should be included in an item's description, if possible, just as people do when they speak of a fine wine.

Antiques, on the other hand, have value that is supposed to be enduring. They don't go 'out of fashion', and they are usually at least one hundred years old. Collectible glassware may be fifty or sixty years at most. It is affordable, and people usually buy it because they like a certain pattern, color, and function.

Carnival glass was mass produced and so inexpensive that it was offered as prizes at fairs and carnivals. Cobalt blue and ruby red were popular colors for drinking glasses, platters, plates, salad bowls, vases, and tabletop ornaments. It's fun to see these useful give-aways now prized as part of American history.

Depression glass was a poor-man's imitation of the cut glass popular in earlier, more affluent times. It was colorful and shiny and brought sparkle to the otherwise grim times. Housewives bought it at dime stores or tried to fill out a set by buying certain brands of cereal or detergent. This molded glass is easy to recognize once you're familiar with different methods of manufacture.

There were many American companies turning out glassware during the war years, when imported tableware was unavailable. Names like Fostoria, Heisey, and Cambridge identify higher end glass. Many of these lines were hand-made from molds, rather than machine produced, as well as hand colored. The better lines were called 'elegant glass'.

Maybe you have glasses packed away in the attic, those old-fashioned ones your grandmother used. Get them out and identify them by maker, pattern, color, and date. You may have fairly valuable collectibles or you may just have charming heirlooms to use, as well as knowledge to pass along to your children.

This is a great hobby. It makes trips to city antique malls and flea markets more fun, as you identify what you're seeing. Maybe you'll find a piece that is rare because of its function or color and get a real treasure. Take a hint from Martha Stewart and serve your distinctive desserts on vintage glass plates, hang WWII glass ornaments on your Christmas tree, or find a patterned shade for a hall lamp. There is no end to the decorating possibilities in using glassware from earlier times.




About the Author:



Tidak ada komentar:

Posting Komentar